Last week we had a middle school girls tie-dye night so I could get to know some of the younger girls better. To make a long story very very short, there were 3 times as many girls as I had planned for and it was amazing. Few things make a more hectic combination than 6th-8th grade girls, permanent dye and free reign of the student chapel. One of my favorite moments was when I was trying to talk to a parent that I'd never met as she dropped off her itsy bitsy 6th grade daughter and an 8th grade girl ran up, put her bluish/purple hands on my face and screamed "I LOVE YOU!"
And just in case you don't think life can get better than that, it totally did.
After the middle school girls left, I had one rocking dance party with 7 of my high school student leaders. I only felt a little old and jiggly and I totally had better moves than most of them. Yup, I may or may not take some unhealthy pride in the fact that I can still shake it better than a 16 year old girl, but seriously, wouldn't you? I thought so. :)
How well I shook my groove thing aside, there was one moment that I am still treasuring. I was breathing slightly heavy, my thighs were burning, but as we were dancing I was overwhelmed by the fact that this is my job. My job, people. I get paid (granted, I'm not rolling in the Benjamen's, but it's a living) to tie dye with screaming middle school girls, to go out to Starbucks with high school students as they are dealing with drama, to have dance parties with leaders on Friday nights. What an unbelievably cool way to live!
There are downsides. There are the scary phone calls, the bulimic but beautiful young ladies, the hard questions of faith, the "no, I'm sorry you were not chosen" conversations, the weeks when I'm only home 2 or 3 nights for dinner. But God does beautiful things, and He redeems this broken world - and I get a front-row seat.
I won't get to do this for the rest of my life. I will not be able to keep up this schedule when we have kids. So I'm treasuring every heart-wrenching, thigh burning moment.
Beautiful. So honored to know and love you!
ReplyDeleteAnd you are absolutely awesome at what you do :-) So glad God has you there to love on those girls (especially since I can't be there). And yes, you are an awesome dancer -- especially when it comes to "The Microwave".
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